Combination garment-hanger.



W. C. THA-TUHER. COMBINATION GARMENT HANGER. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 24, 1908.

95 9, 1 80. Patented May 24, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. O. THATOHER.

COMBINATION GARMENT HANGER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 24, 1908.

Patented May 24:, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WWmmow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GRAIGHEAD THATCHER, 0F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR 'I'O KENNIE 'I. EATON, 0F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

COMBINATION GARMENT-HANGER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. THATOHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Garment-Hangers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a combination garment hanger, adapted for supporting various articles of wearing apparel, more especially coat and trousers.

The device is intended practically as a fixture or stationary garmentrack for the rooms of hotels, clubs or residences. It may be mounted in a Wardrobe or closet, or attached to the wall, or to a door, wall-rack or costumer-post, or in fact any appropriate support.

One object of the invention is to provide, in an improved device of the character stated, a combined coat and trousers hanger so supported on its fixture that, without removing the hanger, a coat or any similar garment may be placed thereupon with the lapels or front of the coat facing outward; or, if desired, the coat can be faced toward the wall, according to individual preference. However, the advantage of hanging the coat with its "lapels or front facing outward is that the trousers-hanger, together with any other instrumentalities depending from the coat-hanger, is left exposed and conveniently accessible, so that a pair of trousers or a skirt or both may be hung up without taking down or lifting up the coat and without removing the hanger.

A further object is to provide for supporting the combined coat and trousers hanger rigidly but detachably, so as to permit its being readily taken down and put up if desired; and for that purpose the fixture on which the hanger is mounted may comprise an offset pendent hook, or a bracket provided with such a hook, having at its lower end an upstanding stud or projection on which the coat-hanger proper is affixed.

The invention will hereinafter be first fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 24, 1908.

Patented May 24, 1910.

Serial No. 450,012.

specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claim annexed to this description.

In said drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a combination garment hanging apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same attached to a wall-rack. In this view the coat-hanger is shown equipped also with skirt-hanging devices, which are omitted from the representation in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the coat-hanger proper. Fig. 4 is a central vertical cross-section of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, a portion-of the wall-fixture or bracket being in side elevation. In this view the trousers-hanger appears closed. Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4; but showing a dilferent style of fixture, namely a hook adapted for attachment to the under side of a shelf or to the ceiling of a wardrobe or closet. In this view the trousers hanger is shown open: Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the trousers-hanger detached. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspective views of the unassembled parts or members of the trousers-hanger. Fig. 9 is an enlarged central vertical cross-section through the trousershanger. The full lines show open position thereof, 'while the dotted lines indicate closed position.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the fiixture on which the combined coat and trousers hanger is detachably secured consists of a bracket in the nature of a hat-hook. This bracket or hat-hook is indicated by the numeral 1, and it is shown having an apertured base-plate 2 adapted for fastening by screws or otherwise to a wall, door or any appropriate support. The bracket has an ofiset pendent hook or forwardly and downwardly extending arm 3 provided with a rearwardly-disposed upstanding projection or stud l (Fig. 4). Upon the stud 4 the coat-hanger 5 is rigidly but detachably secured, for which purpose there is provided medially in the under side of the coat-hanger a hole or socket 6. Immediately in front of the coat-hanger the arm 3 has an enlarged fiat portion 7 in contact with the coat-hanger to hold it rigid and prevent rocking or turning on its support. The coat-hanger is of the common yoke form, but with the ends thereof curved slightly upward and also made comparatively wide in order to hold up the points of the shoulders and preserve the correct shape of the garment. The trousers-hanger, consisting of a spring clamp or clip for embracing the ends of the trouser-legs, depends centrally from the coathanger bymeans of an arm 8 fastened on the back of the coathanger, said arm 8 being preferably an integral extension of the back plate or jaw 9 of the trousers-hanging clamp. Said clamp comprises two sheet metal parts, namely a back plate or jaw 9 and a front plate or jaw 10, so formed and assembled, without rivet, screw or other fastening, as to provide a hinge-like connection and hold the plates or jaws closed together yieldingly or under spring-pressure. To accomplish this, the plate 10 is formed or provided with resilient curved or approximately cylindrical extensions 11 which encompass the upper edge of the plate 9 and bear against the back side thereof; while the plate 9 is formed or provided on its upper part with outstanding forward projections 12 which bear against and are embraced by or seated in the curved lips 13 of short top sections of the plate 10; the parts 12 and 13 being preferably on the ends of the respective plates. This provides practically a hinge or pivotal connection, and prevents relative displacement of the jaws or plates, while the force of the springs or resilientportions 11 holds the lower edges of the jaws or plates closed together. The front plate 10 is also provided with a medial tongue or upwardly and forwardly extending handle 14, preferably integral with the plate, by means of which the clamp can be opened to receive or release the trousers. A link or bracelet l5 loosely encircles the tongue 14; and supporting arm 8. Until the trousers are adjusted in the hanger, the clamp can be held open, against resistance of the springs 11, by seating the link 15 in a groove or indentation across the upper part of the tongue 14, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9. By pressing on the tongue the link will be released and drop, as in Fig. 4: (indicated also by dotted lines in Fig. 9), allowing the clamp to shut or close.

As shown in Fig. 2, the coat-hanger 5 is or may be further provided with pendent garment-hanging hooks or devices 16 which, although intended more particularly for supporting ladies skirts, may serve as well for hanging up such other garments as shirts and underwear. These skirt-hangers 16 are attached under the end portions of the coathanger, with the trousers-hanger between them. They are made preferably of doubled wire formed into hooks or crooks, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; the ends of the wire being bent up and driven into the under side of the coat-hanger and fastened by small staples 17.

In Fig. 2, the hat-hook or bracket supporting the coat and trousers hanging attachment is secured to a wall-rack 18 having provision for attachment by screws or similar fastenings to a wall or door, as either the eyes 19 or the screw-holes 20. This wallrack carries a number of ordinary garmenthooks 21 which will serve for hanging up undergarments, night robes and other articles.

In Fig. 5, instead of the hereinbefore described hat-hook bracket, there is shown a simple pendent hook adapted for attachment to the underside of a shelf or to the top of a wardrobe, to accommodate the combination hanger to such mode of mounting when desired.

As will be seen, more clearly by reference to Figs. 4 and 5, the coat and trousers hanging attachment being offset or mounted at a distance from the wall, door or other support, and there being ample room behind and above the coat-hanger, consequently a coat, jacket, cloak or any similar garment may be placed thereupon from behind, so so as to present the lapels or front of the coat outward. With the coat in this position, the trousers-hanger is exposed and conveniently accessible, so that a pair of trousers may be adjusted in the trousers-hanger or clamp without removing or lifting up the coat and without taking down the hanger. Skirts or other garments may likewise be hung upon the crooks 16 without interfering with either the coat or trousers, while a hat may be placed upon the hat-hook and smaller garments such asshirts and underwear hung u on the rack 18. Thus the device, especia ly in the complete form exhibited in Fig. 2, provides a simple, compact and convenient means for supporting a complete suit of clothes or the entire dress of an individual, either male or female, taking practically the place of a closet and drawers; and for this purpose it is useful as well for residences as for the rooms of hotels, clubs or similar establishments and apartments where frequently closet-space is limited. An equipment of this sort in the rooms of small hotels, especially in the country and small towns, would save the annoyance which every traveling man meets constantly of having to devise or look around for some means of properly hanging up his clothin for the night.

VVhili-i having the advantage of practically a fixture or stationary rack, as well as that of rigidity, which prevents swaying of the empty hanger and rattling against the wall, door or other support, at the same time the detachable mounting of the coat hanger upon the stud 4 permits the combined coat and trousers hanging attachment to be taken down, garments put on, and hung up again, when desired; or the hanger may be readily removed for any such purpose as rearrangement of articles in a closet or cleaning or painting of the wall or wood-work behind. If preferred, however, the coat and trousers hanger may be made inseparable from its hook or supporting bracket by screws or other fastenings inserted through the flat portion 7 for which purpose the said portion may be provided with screw-holes 22 (Fig. 2) to be used at the pleasure of a hotel proprietor.

Except for the coat-hanger 5 and the wall-rack 18, which are preferably though not essentially of wood, the other parts are of metal; the trousers-hanger being of sheetmetal.

Such modifications in detail and form as may lie within the discretion or preference of the designer and mechanic may of course be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

In its broader aspect, the invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction of trousers-hanger, though the improved construction shown and described is claimed as particularly adapted for the purpose of the invention, as well as for its simplicity, cheapness and practical utility as a trousers-hanger per 86.

I make no specific claim herein to the trousers hanger per 86, since the same forms the subject matter of a divisional application for patent filed July 9, 1909, Serial No. 506,814.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a garment hanger, the combination of a fixture having an offset pendent hook, the latter having a rearward upstanding stud, and a coat-supporting yoke having a medial socket adapted to receive said stud whereby said yoke can be hung on the fixture to be removable therefrom, the hook having an enlarged fiat portion in front of said yoke adapted to afford a bearing surface that will hold the coat-supporting yoke against swinging on said stud.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CRAIGHEAD THATCHER. WVitnesses:

ELIZABETH GRAVES,

R. P. PUIsE. 

